Visit Los Angeles: It’s more than celeb spotting and movie sets (2024)

Many presume Los Angeles to be a one-trick pony, a place where people go for sunshine and to rub off the rich and famous and their showbiz glamour. But there’s more to La La Land than just sun and stars; it’s actually a vibrant, multicultural place with myriad neighbourhoods to suit all tastes. Pick one area or build an itinerary around a view — variety abounds in the greater area...

The city

West Hollywood (WeHo )
We started our trip in West Hollywood, an area known for its nightlife and restaurants. In the 1970s, it was a lawless place where rock stars and groupies fraternised, thanks to the many bars, venues and clubs along the Sunset Strip. Now the hipsters have landed. There’s still a little grunge to be found but a lot of the old places shuttered indefinitely during the pandemic.

We stayed at the Pendry (from €450 a night), a relatively new and modern establishment on Sunset with views over the San Fernando Valley towards downtown LA. Its rooms are small but chic, appointed with brass and animal print, and its signature deep teal shade is seen throughout. There’s a fascinating art installation in the lobby, a Moët & Chandon vending machine and a chic rooftop pool. The two restaurants on site are owned by the celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, famous for his old restaurant Spago and for catering the Oscars.

From the hotel, you can exit on to the Strip where you’ll find iconic landmarks such as Mel’s Diner (surprisingly great) and the Chateau Marmont (much more dingy than expected). I spotted Sharon Horgan taking a meeting at the Sunset Tower, and had a nose in a brand-new marijuana dispensary that felt more like a designer boutique. Cannabis is now legal in California, and these fancy stores are a far cry from the head shops of yesteryear.

If you exit the Pendry from its main entry, and walk down a steep hill, you’ll come to Santa Monica Boulevard. It’s the area of WeHo known for going out, with bars and restaurants all the way along and a much more chilled vibe. You can walk to Melrose to visit the famous Pink Wall and Pink’s Hotdogs (unrelated) or you can stroll towards Fairfax and the popular Farmers Market and the Grove shopping enclave. You can wander some more and end up on Rodeo Drive, taking in the sights and sounds of Beverly Hills. WeHo is known for being an LGBT safe haven, and there are lots of gay bars and clubs.

In a city where it’s said nobody walks, we really walked. You can Uber to restaurants but it’s eminently strollable and full of sights and sounds you won’t want to miss. If hiking is more your thing, the WeHo-based company Bikes and Hikes offers guided tours to the Hollywood sign. We went one rainy morning and despite the weather, it was a wondrous way to spend a few hours and great exercise. Dress accordingly.
Drink Sur, the Abbey, Laurel Hardware
Eat Craig’s, the Polo Lounge (order the McCarthy salad)
See The Academy Museum, the Hollywood Walk of Fame
visitweho.com

The beach

Santa Monica
If crashing waves and scenic views are more your style, you may want to base yourself beside the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, which has its own more laidback nightlife, with dive bars to beat the band, and if you’re renting a car, you can’t beat a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu.

We checked in to Shutters on the Beach (from €500 a night), a five-star establishment that lives up to its name with its epic location beside the famous Santa Monica pier. I felt instantly relaxed as I sat on the small balcony overlooking the ocean, and the rooms are beautifully appointed with a beachy glam theme. The hotel has several dining options, but we chose to eat out as the area has so much to offer.

We biked to Venice, viewing the famous boardwalk and Muscle Beach from the safety of our saddles and found the bizarrely beautiful canals nearby. We went on the rollercoaster on the pier, shopped at the Third Street Promenade and even did trivia night (their version of a pub quiz) at Barney’s Beanery, where you can have a champagne breakfast consisting of a bottle of Dom Pérignon and a hot dog for $300.
Drink Barney’s Beanery, the Backyard at Chez Jays
Eat Chez Jays, Erewhon
See Venice Beach and canals, Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade
santamonica.com

The desert

Palm Springs
The area known as Greater Palm Springs encompasses nine distinct areas in the Coachella Valley, each with its own personality. We stayed in downtown Palm Springs, the entryway to the rest, in the achingly hip Ace Hotel (from €183 a night). It’s an old Howard Johnson highway motel, transformed into a chic and sustainable enclave with two pools, a bar, a restaurant and young clientele.

You need a car to get to the desert, and the drive from LA is straightforward. I was struck by how green the area was but was told it had been an unusually wet winter.

I loved Palm Springs on sight. It’s beautiful, with cacti, blue skies and glamorous people. It’s also got something for everyone; we went shopping in high-end Palm Desert, visited the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens where we fed giraffes, and went for a drive out to Joshua Tree to see the famous national park. It’s also gay friendly, with lots of clubs and bars devoted to LGBT nightlife, and many adult-only and even male-only hotels.

For the three nights we were there, I didn’t touch my make-up bag, lived in shorts and was bewitched by the sparkling night sky. It’s simply out of this word, the ultimate chill-out destination.
Drink The Parker Hotel’s sexy bar
Eat Breakfast at Elmer’s, dinner at Ace
See The Aerial Tramway, for spectacular views
visitgreaterpalmsprings.com

The small town

Pasadena
When it was suggested we visit Pasadena, we were reluctant. I was eventually swayed because of its proximity to Universal Studios, because I’m a theme park nut. While this was a plus, I was raging we weren’t spending longer in this beautiful part of LA. Forty minutes from WeHo by car, it’s like another world entirely. Affluent and beautifully manicured, it looks straight out of a Nancy Meyers movie but has so much personality. On our first night we visited a female-owned winery and olive oil bar, Leona Lewis’s vegan café, a boba tea house for fluffy Japanese pancakes, and a world-class dim sum place.

We stayed at the Langham Huntington (from €250 a night), a sprawling building with a Japanese garden and Chinese spa. The area has a large Asian population, which is reflected in its culture.

We visited the nearby Descanso gardens with 30,000 tulips in bloom, the famous Rose Bowl stadium, which is at the heart of the town, and even took in a comedy night at the Ice House, where we were thrilled to see Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein perform.
Drink Playhouse Village or Old Pasadena — so much choice
Eat Bar Chelou, Chef Tony’s
See The Ice House, the Rose Bowl, stroll the shops on South Lake Avenue and Colorado, Super Mario Land at Universal Studios Hollywood
visitpasadena.com

The OC

Newport Beach
Made famous by television, from the Real Housewives to the series of the same name, Orange County is known for being one of the wealthiest communities in the US. I don’t think I’ve ever seen somewhere where everyone was so thin, so white and so rich.

We stayed at VEA (from €350 a night), a high-rise resort opposite Fashion Island, a pretty outdoor mall. The hotel didn’t have a lot in the way of personality, but I suspect it’s great in high summer thanks to a huge pool and cabanas.

The area I liked best was a man-made island named Balboa, a strip of small, independent businesses and cute restaurants with distinct New England vibes, and lots of beach houses with private piers and boats parked out back. There were dogs galore, heaps of seafood and bars, and lots of people letting loose at the weekend in their bonus homes.

While there are beaches down the coast, Newport proper is more like a harbour with sandy stretches. We took a tour of the bay in a small electric boat called a Duffy, with sparkling wine and an Insta-friendly cheese board.
Drink The Jellyfish Lounge at the Cannery
Eat Joey, buzzy and sexy steak and seafood; or Nobu, classic sushi
See Sea Señorita Duffys sunset cruise (@seasenoritaduffys) or Balboa Fun Zone,
a vintage funfair
visitnewportbeach.com

Aer Lingus flies direct daily from Dublin, from €399 each way. For more information, places to stay and suggestions, see visitcalifornia.com

Related articles